Selector for automatic telephone systems



G. A. BETULANDER SELECTOR FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Filed March 18, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet l .df/orne/s.

Jan 14, 1941- G. A. BETULANDs-:R 29228397 SELECTOR FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Filed March 18, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 @y @s M v @Z975 eff /N VEN TOR 'Goff/7117 Ansgar/.u s B215 nder ATTO meys Z Jam 14 1941- G. A. BETULANDER 2,228,297

SELECTOR FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Filed March 18, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 2% 1h97@ we we 2 /NvE/V TO R CoH/pff ngarl'us B/Lu/ande):

Jam M, 1941 G. A. BETULANDER SELECTOR FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Filed March 18, 1957 e sheets-sheet 4 fw Q@ M' mb Jan. 14, 1941. Q BETULANDER l 2,228,297

SELECTOR FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Filed Maron 18, 1937 s sheets-sheet .5

Jan. 14, 1941.

G. A. BETULANDR SELECTOR FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Filed March 18. 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 lay/fz, 1kg/2;. Eff@ Illy/M. @if

/4 fforneys Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELECTOR FOR AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEMS Gotthlf Ansgarius Betulander, Stockholm,

Swed

18 Claims.

'Ihe present invention relates to selectors in automatic telephone plants and more particularly such selectors of the dish type and has for its object to provide a more compact and simplied construction. The invention can be applied in pre-selectors and final selectors as well as in searchers and group selectors.

The invention is particularly of interest in such plants in which the multiple is arranged in the form of a number of mutually parallel mats of bare wire extending in different planes and in which the selector arms are adapted, in their selecting or searching movement, rst to be displaced parallel with themselves in a a rectilinear path to an operative position in relation to a corresponding mat (the primary movement) and then to Wipe over the mat in question in a rectilinear path making an angle to the primary path.

. homogeneous so as to contain exclusively wires of the same type distributed on a plurality of wire mats, while each selector arm co-operates only with a single part eld.

The present invention relates also to the design of this selector and consists in this respect in that the selector arms are slidable on a guiding shaft which is parallel with the direction of the primary movement and rollable cross- Wise in the direction of the secondary movement.

The invention will be more closely described with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating by way of example different embodiments of the invention which are by no means limitative. On the drawings Fig. 1 is a view from above of an embodiment according to the invention, an upper covering being removed.

Figs. 2 and 3 are cross-sections of the device shown in Fig. l on the lines 2 2 and 3 3 respectively.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 in Fig. 5 of another embodiment, whereas Fig. 5 is a plan view seen from above.

Fig. 6 shows the multiple in front view with A a selector in position.

Fig. 7 is a view from above of the multiple shown in Fig. 6 with two selectors engaging the multiple from opposite sides.

Fig. 8 is a partial side view on the line 8 8 in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically on an enlarged scale the engagement of a selector arm with the multiple Wires.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line I O I in Fig. 1l which latter figure shows a selector with the cover removed in View from above or below respectively. y

Fig. 12 is the device in Fig. 11 viewed from its left-hand side whereas Fig. 13 is the same device viewed from its lower end.

Fig. 14 is a section on line I4 I4 in Fig. 15 which is a top view of a modied embodiment as viewed from above or below respectively.

Fig. 16 is a front view of the device in Fig. 15 as viewed from the left-hand side.

Figs. 17a to 23 are modified details.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the line multiple comprises 400 wires of which the a, b, c and d-wires respectively each form groups with 100 wires in each according to the drawings. In each group the wires are disposed in 20 mats 5Ia, 52a etc. which extend in different mutually parallel planes. For each line group there is a selector arm I to 4. The selector arms are, at their inner ends, rigidly connected with a slide 5 and, at their outer free ends, guided in a slot-shaped opening confined by upper and lower guiding flanges 43 and 44 respectively. In their idle positions, the outer ends of the arms I to 4 are positioned inside the outer edges of n the lianges 43, 44. The slide 5 is at its end bent in an angle and bored so that lugs 6 and I are formed. Said lugs are pivoted on a shaft 8. The slide 5 can be displaced to the right along the shaft which latter is rotatable in the lugs 6, 1. On the other hand, the slide 5 cannot be displaced to the left from the position shown in the drawing on account of a stop abutment 9 rigidly connected with the slide 5 and in the shown position engaging the stop abutment I3 mounted on the frame. A long helical spring ID is xed by its one end in the lug 6, extends over a pulley II rotatably mounted in the frame and is, by its opposite end, xed to the stud I2 connected with the frame. The spring I0 tends to hold the slide 5 together with the selector arms I to 4 in the position shown on the drawing. On the slide 5 there is firmly secured a toothed rack I4 which is in toothed engagement with an axially extensive pinion I5. This is driven from an electric motor I6 having a stepwise movement. On the slide 5 there is further secured an insulating member I'I, by way of example of ebonite, carrying a number of pins I8. On these pins there are pivoted lugs belonging to a number of Contact arms IQa, I9b, I9c, and ISd, These are preferably of channel shape and the opposite ends of the arms are formed to contact springs 2li, 2l bent upwards. They engage the opposite sides of contact rods 22a, 22h, 22e, andv 22d respectively to which corresponding lines are connected. The contacts 4I of the selector arms I to 4 are connected in a manner known per se although not indicated on the drawings to the corresponding pin I8 whereby electric connection with the corresponding contact rods 22a to 22h is established.

The shaft 3 is by its ends provided with toothed wheels 23, 24 which are in toothed engagement with the racks 25, 26 fixed at the bottom of the frame. The ends of the shaft 8 extend through slot-shaped openings 2l in guiding bars 28, 29 provided in the frame. Hereby the toothed wheels 23, 24 are held in permanent engagement with the racks 25, 25 and the shaft 8 continuously in a direction parallel with the starting position shown on the drawing.

A rack 3?) is by its one end j ointedly connected with the shaft 8 and co-operates with a pinion 3| of an electric motor 32 of a type similar to that of the motor I8. The rack 3i) is provided with a slot-shaped opening 33 which accommodates a stud 34 fixed on an adjustable plate 34a of the frame of the motor 32. A spiral spring is by its one end fixed to the stud 36 on the rack 33, extends over a pulley 31 rotatably mounted on the frame, and is by its opposite end xed to the stud 38 disposed on the frame. The spring tension tends to hold the rack 30 and the shaft 8 in the position shown on the drawing` an abutment 39 being then in engagement with the stop abutment 4D disposed on the frame.

The motors I6 and 32 are assumed to operate in such a manner that, upon receiving a series of impulses, the motor I5 is first rotated forwards stepwise and, upon completion of this movement, the motor 32 starts and rotates forward stepwise. Hereby the pinion I5 is initially rotated so that the rod I4, the frame 5 and the selector arms l to 4 are fed forward stepwise past the outermost wires belonging to the wire mats 5ta, 52a etc. Upon selection of the wire mat containing the wire in view the motor IG stops and retains its armature against the restoring force of the spring IO. Hereinafter this setting movement is called the primary movement. Then the motor 32 starts and feeds forward stepwise the pinion 3l, the rack 3D, the shaft 8, the slide 5 and the selector arms I to 4 so that the wires in a certain mat are pressed into a slot-shaped opening 42 in the corresponding selector arm until nally the desired a, b, cand d-wires are brought into contact with the corresponding contact rods 22a to 22d through the intermediurn of the corresponding springs 4I of the appertaining selector arms. During this movement the rack I4 slides on the axially eX- tensive pinion I5 which is now held stationary. This setting movement is called the secondary movement. The selector remains then in the position reached until the motors I6 and 32 are de-energized at the interruption of the connection, the spiral springs IU and 35 then causing the restoration of the parts to the positions shown on the drawings.

In the above described embodiment the selector arms have been swingably mounted on the guiding shaft while their outer free ends have been guided in a slot-shaped opening in the frame which opening extends parallelly with the plane of movement of the selector arms and in which said arms are slidable. This arrangement has that disadvantage that the distance between the opening and the guiding shaft varies during the transversal movement of the shaft between a comparatively great value in the retired position of the selector arms to a very small value in the extreme pushed-out position thereof. In the latter position the guiding of the arms is apparently rather uncertain on account of the lever action of the entire arm length in relation to that portion of the arm which is governed between the opening and the guiding shaft.

In the modified embodiment according to Figs. 4 and 5 said inconveniences are eliminated by rigidly connecting the selector arms with a special guiding arm engaging between guiding surfaces parallel with the plane of the selector movement and co-extensive with the entire primary and secondary movements.

In Fig. 5 only four flanges 6I to 54 are shown which are intended to carry the four selector arms rigidly connected with the slide 5 and extending through the long opening B5. In contradistinction to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 this opening need not be so narrow that the ends of the selector arms are governed thereby. The motor 32 of Fig. l is imagined to be secured to a plate 66 mounted on distance-pieces 69 carried on the bottom frame 10.

According to the invention the slide 5 is provided with a guiding arm 61 extending close to the bottom of the frame and carrying at its end an expanded portion 68 of steel, fiber or other material having a low frictional co-eiiicient in relation to the material in the plate 66 and the bottom 10. The plate 66 is held through the distance pieces 69 at a definite and all over uniform distance from the bottom l0. The plates 5B and 10 are carefully planed and enclose between themselves an interspace which corresponds, in regard to its extension in the plane of the selector movement, to the entire eld ol' operation described by a point of the selector arm. The piece 68 is so dimensioned that it obtains a rm guiding in the interspace between the plates 66 and 'I0 and only deviates from the crossdimension of the interspace with a tolerance necessary for obtaining an easy sliding. The plates 66 and I0 may be made of brass whereby only a small friction is caused between the piece 68 and the plate. The remaining portion of the guiding arm G'I is thinner than the interspace so that there is no friction between this portion and the plates.

It is apparently of importance that the perpendicular distance between the piece 68 and the guiding shaft 8 is not too small as in such a case the efficiency of the guiding is reduced.

In the embodiment shown in the figure the guiding surfaces formed by the plates 66 and IIJ are disposed on that side of the guiding shaft 8 which is opposite to that of the selector arms. Nothing prevents, however, the disposition of the guiding surfaces on the same side of the guiding shaft as the selector arms provided there is a sufficient space for the movement of the selectors perpendicularly to the guiding shaft 8.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 6 to 9 is particularly suitable in telephone plants in which each multiple co-operates with a plurality of selectors. The embodiment can be applied advantageously in searchers and group-selectors and in so called PBX systems and the like. In this arrangement the multiple is divided sideways in fields containing only wires of a certain kind such as a, b, c etc. wires, each selector beingfprovided with selector arms adapted to coi-operate with the corresponding nelds and arms `belonging to diierent selectors being adapted to move into the multiple from the front and the rear in opposite directions.

The box shaped covers 20|, 202 are assumed to accommodate selector members, by way of example, of the nature described with reference to Figs. l to 5. The multiple l203 is arranged in the shape of a number of parallel wire mats, compare the characters 295, 201, 200 in Fig. 9, disposed in different planes. v

For the sake of .simplicity the selector arms have not been drawn in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. 8 the extreme left-hand selector arms al and a2 are shown in operative position in relation to the multiple. According to Fig. 9 each selector arm is assumed to be provided with two contact pieces 204 and 205 which from the right and the left engage the wires 206 in a certain mat'whereas the wires 2&1, 298, belonging to the next wire mats, must not be touched by they contacts. The frame of the selector arrangement comprises vertical angle irons 209,240 which carry cross irons 2| i. These carry a frame 2|2 supporting the multiple proper.r The insides of the angle irons 239, 2|@ are provided with horizontal bars 2|3, 2id extending parallelly with the selector arms. The bar 2| 3 on the left hand side of the selector differs from the bar 2|4 provided on the right hand side of the selector, for instance, therein that its vertical cross-dimension is greater. At the outer ends of the bars there are springs 2|5 to 2 I8 provided according to the gure. U-shaped cam members 2|9 to 222 are proivided on the left-hand and right-hand sides respectively of the box-shaped covers 20| and 202 according to the drawing. 'I'he vertical inside distance between the legs of the U conforms exactly to the vertical dimension of the corresponding bar 2|3 and 2 |4 respectively. The middle piece of the U is dispo-sed at such a distance from the front side of the selector that, when the latter is mounted in position, the outer ends of the bars 2|3, 2M bear against the inside of the middle piece and the bent in -ends of the springs 2|5 to 2|8 snap over the outside of the middle piece in a manner clearly shown in Fig. '7. Hereby the covers 20| and 202 are held firmly in position.

All selectors are of equal design and the selector arms such as al a2 are unsymmetrically disposed in relation to the top and bottom sides of the appertaining selector which sides are parallel with the plane of movement. Hereby the selector 20| can be placed by way of example, in the position ci the selector 202 by being turned upside down, while maintaining the right and the left unchanged, andbe attached on the opposite side of the multiple on a level with the position 2G Then kselector arms, such as' al and a2, belonging to opposing selectors move freely in relation to one another in different planes of movement. On the other hand, a certain. selector cannot be introduced into position by merely reversing the right and the left, as in such a case the guiding surfaces of the cam members no longer can co-operate with one another. It is evident that the same result can be obtained With other cam members than those shown on the drawings provided the operative surfaces of the cam members are symmetrical in relation to a plane parallel with the plane of movement but unsymmetrical in relation to aplane perpendicular to the plane of movement and parallel with the selector arms.

Apparently a considerable number of selectors can be superposed on opposite sides of the multiple on guiding bars mounted above one another as will be understood from Figs. 6 and 8.

In automatic telephone selectors it is important to be able to ascertain in the simplest possible manner the positions of the selectors at a certain moment, i. e. the number of steps the selector has advanced in both primary and secondary direction.

In the arrangement according to Figs. l to 16 a direct reading-offer the position of the selector is rendered possible even if the selector is provided with a covering of metal or the like as in Figs. l and 7.

In Figs. 10-13 the primary movement of the selector can be read-off on a scale |03 on which the extreme point |2I of an indicating rod |0| indicates the position of the slide 5 in primary direction. The rod |0| is slidably disposed in a holder |06 rigidly connected with the slide 5 and is according to Fig. 10 freely movable on the bottom of the cover on. the underside of the plate 66 adapted to carry the motor, compare Fig. 5. At its front end the rod |0| is bent to a vertical portion ||0 which is' movable in the slot-shaped interspace formed between the edge of the plate 66 and the side wall |20 of the cover. The end of the portion is formed to a horizontal pointer I2| At the displacement of the slide in primary direction the rod is -brought by the holder |06 to participate in this movement whereas during the secondary movement of the slide the holder |06 slides on the rod |0| without displacing this from its position in relation to the scale |03 indicating the primary position on account of the guiding action exerted of the parts 56 and |20 on the portion l0. AsI seen on Fig. 12 the scale is provided with designations from l to 0 and readable from opposite sides in View of the fact that the selector can be attached in two different positions in relation to the multiple.

There is further provided on the adjacent side of the cover .a similar scale |04 on which a pointer |02 marks the position of the selector in secondary direction. This pointer |02 is mounted on a rod |01 which is connected to the shaft 8 so as to participate in the secondary movement of the slide 5.

In the selector shown in Figs. 14 to 16 both scales'are combined to the same side of the selector whereby the reading-off is further facilitated. The marking device for the primary movement is exactly like that shown in connection with Figs. 10 to 13. For indicating the secondary movement there is xed to the shaft 8 by means of a xture ||2 a steel tape or the like ||6 which extends over a pulley 8, rotatable about a tap and is at its end connected to a spiral spring |5 adapted to cause the restoration of the slide 5 in secondary direction. The steel tape is provided with a small indicating device ||3 which co-operates with the scale ||4 and thus marks the position in secondary direction.

The two scales can also be both provided on the side plate |22 in which case the secondary movement is indicated directly as in Fig. 11 whereas the primary movement is transferred from the slide 5 by `a "steel tape or the like.

It is evident that such devices for marking.

the position of the selector can be obtained according -to the invention in several ways other 'i5 than those above described without receding from the inventive idea.

The contacts carried by the selector arms are generally constituted by one or more contact springs which are elastically pressed, in their contact positions against the corresponding counter-contact, such as a wire in the multiple, and, in their intermediate positions between consecutive counter-contacts, either fall in between such contacts or bear against a suitable insulating layer.

In such multiple contact elds in which the contacts are insulated only through the atmospheric air, such as in bare wire multiples, contact wipers having two opposing springs are usually applied which from opposite sides bear against the corresponding contact and accordingly in the intermediate positions bear against one another. Io avoid that the wipers in the intermediate positions bridge across the gap between consecutive counter-contacts it has hitherto been necessary to space the multiple contacts at a considerable distance whereby the multiple eld has required an excessive space in the direction of movement of the wipers and the path of travel of the latter correspondingly long.

According to the present invention the occurence of such connections between consecutive counter-contacts is entirely eliminated While at the same time the extension of the multiple eld and of the movements of the wipers may be considerably reduced.

With this object in view the contact wipers are provided with insulating pieces so positioned in relation to the wiper contacts that the latter are prevented in their intermediate positions through the bearing of the insulating piece against a counter-contact in the front or the rear of the contacts, from falling in between two multiple contacts.

I n Figs. 17a to 2O there are shown some embodiments of the inventive idea as applied to wipers consisting of two contact springs and belonging to a selector or the like having a bare wire multiple.

In Fig. 17a the contact wiper 301 is shown in its starting position. The wiper consists of two springs 30|, 302, the ends of which are bent as shown on the drawings. The springs are provided with an insulated or insulating piece 303, 304. In Fig. 17h the same wiper is shown in its first contact position in which the contact springs 30! and 302 bear against the wire in the field. In Fig. l'c the wiper takes up its first intermediate position in which the insulating pieces 303, 304 bear against the rst multiple wire and hold the spring ends apart so that there can be no contact bridge between consecutive multiple wires. In the present instance the pieces bear against that multiple wire with which the brush has just made a contact. Apparently any danger for the occurrence of a bridging Contact in the intermediate positions is eliminated even if the multiple wires are disposed very close together. In Fig. 17d the wiper takes up its second contact position in which the pieces 303 and 304 take up their first intermediate positions and, according to the figure, do not in any way prevent the springs from performing their contact functions.

In the Figures 17 to 18 the contacts wipers are of the type having two springs engaging from opposite sides one and the same multiple wire. In Fig. 19 there is shown a contact wiper in which the two springs 305, 306 forming the wiper are insulated from one another and adapted to make contact each with one multiple wire. The insulating pieces 301, 308 are in this instance fixed on the outside for obvious reasons. The extreme end 300 of the spring 306 is bent over so as to form an abutment for the spring 305 when introducing the wiper. However, when in operation, the pieces 301 and 308 must prevent the two springs from making contact with one another.

In the embodiment shown the insulating pieces 303, 304, 301, 308 have all been in a position behind the wiper contacts counted in the setting direction of the wiper. In most cases this would be preferable although a reversal of this order is conceivable. As is understood from the above the distance between the contact surface and the insulating piece should be equal to half the pitch between the field contacts 300. Finally the extension in the direction of movement of both the insulating piece and the contact surface should preferably be selected equal and so large that a certain tolerance in the setting position is allowed and preferably so that the contact surface of the spring and the bearing surface of the insulating piece practically meet one another, compare Fig. 17.

Apparently the invention could be applied to several other known types of Contact wipers or contact springs and for other contact fields than the described blank Wire multiple. The multiple field could be plane as well as circular or sector shaped.

In Figs. 2l, 22 there is shown a special embodiment of the springs |9a to 15b in Fig. l. In order to facilitate the disassenibling of the springs without removing the contact bars 22a etc. the springs 250 in Fig. 21 extend on top of the bar 22a and are formed to downward extensions 25I, 252 adapted to engage the rod 22a. At their ends the extensions 25|, 252 are provided with contact shoes 253, 254 adapted elastically to engage the rod 22a and at the same time to allow an inclination of the spring 250 in relation to the bar 22a. The contact shoes 253, 254 have for their object to guide the springs 250 so that the special guiding arrangements described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5 are not charged with the guiding of the springs 250. With this object in View the lugs 255 of the springs are only loosely thrust on the pins I8, Fig. 1, to avoid any bending stresses between the springs 250 and the studs I 8.

In Fig. l the slide 5 and the shaft 8 are spring-loaded in order to obtain the restoring forces. In many cases it is more convenient to provide the motors I 6 and 32 with the springs in which case the springs I0 and 35 will be superfluous. In Fig. 23 there is shown the end of the motor I6 or 32 provided with a housing 256 which accommodates a spiral spring 251.

The one end thereof can be fixed to the support 258 of the housing and its inner end to the shaft 259 of the motor.

The selector arms 302, Figs. 17a to 20, are provided with holes 310 accommodating the conductors connecting the contact wipers 303, 304 etc. with the sliding contact bars l9a to ISd, Fig. 1, and the contact rods 22a to 22d.

Wh-at is claimed is:

l. A selector having contact; wipers consisting of one or more contact springs and adapted on reaching a certain position to cause a connection with one or more counter-contacts in a multiple contact eld, characterized by insulating or insulated pieces disposed on the Contact springs and so positioned in relation to the contact surfaces of the springs that in an intermediate position of the contact wiper between two contact positions, the pieces are actuated by countercontacts positioned in iront of or behind said intermediate position in such a manner that the contact surfaces of the springs are prevented lfrom making contact with the counter-contacts adjacent the intermediate position.

2. A selector having contact wipers consisting of one or more contact springs and adapted on reaching a certain position to cause a connection with one or more counter-contacts in a multiple contact field, characterized by insulation disposed on the contact springs and so positioned in relation to the contact surfaces of the springs that in an intermediate position of the contact wiper between two contact positions, said insulation being disposed behind the contact surfaces with respect to the directions of wiper travel a distance therefrom equal to about half the pitch between counter-contacts, the pieces are actuated by counter-contacts positioned in front of or behind said intermediate position in such a manner that the contact surfaces of the springs are prevented from making contact with the counter-contacts adjacent the intermediate position. I

3. In an automatic switch having pairs of contact wipers movable through rows of bare wires forming the switch bank, each wiper of a pair normally tensioned toward its associated wiper, means formoving said wipers to positions corresponding to bare wires in said bank. contacting surfaces on said wipers for engaging said bare wires in each said position, both contacting surfaces of a pair engaging the same bare wire, and an insulated piece rigidly mounted on each wiper for preventing engagement between the contacting surfaces of paired wipers in intermediate positions of said wipers.

4. In an automatic switch having contact wipers movable through rows of bare Wires forming a switch bank, means for moving said wipers to positions corresponding to the bare wires in said bank, contacting surfaces on said wipers for engaging said bare wires in each said position, and insulated pieces rigidly mounted on said wipers for preventing the engagement of the contacting surface of one wiper with the contacting surface of the associated wiper in intermediate positions of said wipers.

51. In an automatic switch having contact wipers movable through rows of bare wires forming a switch bank, means for moving said wipers to positions corresponding to the bare wires in said bank, contacting surfaces on said wipers for engaging said bare wires in each said position, insulating pieces rigidly mounted on said wipers, said insulated pieces positioned on said wipers with respect to said contact surfaces to prevent engagement between said contact surfaces and with said bare wires when said insulated pieces engage said bare wires in intermediate positions of said wipers.

6. In an automatic switch, wipers on said switch, means for moving said wipers, insulated stationary contact rods terminating the incoming conductors to said switch, and swingable springs slidably mounted on said rods and electrically connected to said wipers for forming electrical connections between said wipers and said rods.

7. In an automatic switch, a wiper carriage, wipers on said carriage, means for moving said carriage and wipers, an insulating member mounted on said carriage, insulated pins corresponding to said wipers mounted on said member, each pin being electrically connected with its corresponding wiper, insulated stationary contact rods terminating the incoming conductors to said switch, and springs slidably mounted on said rods and swingably mounted on said pins for forming electrical connections between said wipers and rods.

8. In an automatic switch, a guiding shaft, a wiper carriage movably mounted on said shaft for movement in one direction in its primary movement, said shaft extending in parallelism with the direction of primary movement and rollable in a direction at right angles to said primary movement, a primary magnet for moving said carriage longitudinally on said shaft in its primary movement, and a secondary magnet for rolling said shaft so as to move said shaft and said carriage in a direction at right angles to said primary movement in its secondary movement.

9. In an automatic switch, a guiding shaft, a wiper carriage movably mounted on said shaft for movement in one direction in its primary movement, said shaft extending in parallelism with the direction of primary movement and displaceable in a direction at right angles to said primary movement,` pinions mounted on said shaft, xed racks extending at right angles to the direction of extension of said shaft and in mesh with said pinions, a primary magnet for moving said carriage on said shaft in its prim ry movement, and a secondary magnet for rotating said pinions and said shaft to move both said shaft and carriage along said racks in a direction at right angles to said primary movement in` its secondary movement.

10. In an automatic switch, a guiding shaft, a wiper carriage movably mounted on said shaft for movement in. one direction in its primary movement, said shaft extending in parallelism with the direction of primary movement and displaceable in a direction at right angles to said primary movement, wipers mounted on said carriage, plane guiding surfaces extending in parallelism with the movements of said wipers, a guiding arm iixed to said carriage and extending between said guiding surfaces for guiding the movements of said wipers in their primary and secondary planes during their primary and secondary movements, a primary magnet for moving said carriage on said shaft in its primary movement, and a secondary magnet for moving both said shaft and carriage in the direction at right angles to said primary movement in its secondary movement.

1l. In an automatic switch, a guiding shaft, a wiper carriage movably mounted on said shaft for movement in one direction in its primary movement, said shaft extending in parallelism with the direction of primary movement and displaceable in a direction at right angles to said primary movement, a guiding arm xed to said carriage at one end, plane guiding surfaces eX- tending in. paralielism with the movements of said carriage, an enlarged portion on the free end of said guiding arm slidable between said guiding surfaces to maintain said carriage in a single plane during the primary and secondary movements of said carriage, the remaining portion of said guiding arm being so dimensioned as to be free from contact with said guiding surfaces, a

primary magnet for moving said carriage on said shaft in its primary movement, and a secondary magnet for moving both said shaft and carriage in the direction at right angles to said primary movement in its secondary movement.

12. In an automatic switch, a guiding shaft, a wiper carriage movably mounted on said shaft for movement in one direction in its primary movement, said shaft extending in parallelism with the direction of primary movement and displaceable in a direction at right angles to said primary movement, a primary magnet for moveing said carriage on said shaft in its prima-ry movement, a secondary magnet for moving both said shaft and carriage in the direction at right angles to said primary movement in its secondary movement, a guiding arm and wipers mounted on said carriage, and plane guiding surfaces cooperating with said guiding arm for guiding said carriage in its two directions in a single plane during its primary and secondary movements.

13. In an automatic switch, a guiding shaft, a wiper carriage movably mounted on said shaft in one direction in its primary movement, said shaft extending in parallelism with the direction of primary movement and displaceable in a direction at right angles to said primary movement, a primary magnet for moving said carriage on said shaft in its primary movement, a secondary magnet for moving both said shaft and carriage in the direction at right angles to said primary movement in its secondary movement, a guiding arm xed to said carriage, two plane guiding surfaces cooperating with said guiding arm for guiding said carriage in its two directions in a single plane during its primary and secondary movements, a plate forming one of said guiding surfaces being utilized for mounting one of said magnets, and the other guiding surface being part of the main frame plate of said switch.

14. In an automatic switch, a guiding shaft, a wiper carriage movably mounted on said shaft for movement in one direction in its primary movement, said shaft extending in parallelism with the direction of primary movement and displaceable in a direction at right angles to said primary movement, a primary magnet for moving said carriage on said shaft in its primary movement, a secondary magnet for moving both said shaft and carriage in the direction at right angles to said primary movement in its secondary movement, wipers mounted on said carriage, insulated stationary rods terminating incoming conductors to said switch, and swingable springs slidable on said rods and electrically connected with said wipers for electrically connecting said wipers to said conductors.

15. In an automatic switch, a guiding shaft, a wiper carriage movably mounted on said shaft for movement in one direction in its primary movement, rollers carrying said shaft and rotatable about axes perpendicular to the direction of a secondary movement, forming an angle to the direction of said primary movement, said rollers being spaced apart in the direction of primary movement, stationary rectilinear tracks extending in the direction of secondary movement and adapted to cooperate with said rollers so as to allow these to roll thereon while the shaft and the carriage are moved in the direction of secondary movement, anti-sliding means being provided for preventing sliding movement between said rollers and said tracks, and said rollers being positively interconnected so as to insure that in all positions said shaft will extend in parallelism with the direction of primary movement.

16. An automatic switch as claimed in claim 15, in which said rollers and said tracks carry teeth meshing with one another.

17. An automatic switch as claimed in claim 15, in which said shaft is rotatable in said carriage and said rollers are secured to said shaft.

18. An automatic switch as claimed in claim in which said rollers and said tracks carry teeth meshing with one another, guiding means being provided for holding said rollers in permanent engagement with said tracks.

GO'I'IHILF ANSGARIUS BETULANDER. 

